Sole and heel structure for shoes



May 9, 1967 R. B. ANTI-:LO

SOLE AND HEEL STRUCTURE FOR SHOES Filed May 20, 1963 I INVENTOR. Pana Fa 3. ,4N 7:50

United States Patent O 3,318,025 SLE AND HEEL STRUCTURE FOR SHOES Rodolfo Barriga Antelo, 6802 Dartmouth St., Forest Hills, N.Y. 11375 Filed May 20, 1963, Ser. No. 281,579 7 Claims. (Cl. 36--30) This invention relates to improved soles vand heels for -shoes and more specifically to a novel and improved composite sole and heel structure which greatly facilitates repair and maintenance of the shoe and constitutes an improvement of a prior invention disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,068,592, granted Dec. 18, 1962.

One object of the invention is to provide improved composite sole and heel structures for shoes to permit the replacement of the worn portions without the need for special tools or skills and at the same time provide for secure attachment of the replaceable portions.

Another object of the invention resides in a novel and improved composite heel and sole structure lfor shoes ernbodying means to minimize the infiltration of foreign matter between the joined elements.

Still another object of the invention resides in a novel and improved heel and sole structure having interlocking means on the composite elements to insure -a firm permanent attachment of the replaceable elements to the shoe.

The above and other objects lof the invention will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings forming part of this application.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of a typical shoe equipped with improved heel and sole structures in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a bottom view of the assembled heel structure in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the heel structure as shown in FIGURE l and with the replaceable element separated from the permanent upper element which is attached to the shoe.

FIGURE 4 is a bottom View of the heel portion which is permanently attached to the shoe.

FIGURE 5 is a top view of the detachable replaceable tread member.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical, central, longitudinal section of the assembled heel in accordance with the invention and taken along the 'line 6 6 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the assembled heel structure and taken along the line 7-7 of FIGURE 2.

As will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention applies equally to both an improved sole and an improved heel structure embodying replaceable tread elements which are securely and firmly attached to the permanent cooperating elements attached to the shoe. It is `also to be understood that, while the sole and heel elements are independently illustrated, the sole and heel structure may be made as a unitary full sole for attachment to a cooperating full sole element permanently attached to the shoe.

Referring now to the drawings and more specifically to FIGURE l, the shoe is generally denoted .by the numeral 10, while the composite heel structure is denoted by the numeral 11 and the composite sole structure by the numeral 12. The heel 11 comprises two portions, namely, an upper element 13` permanently attached to the shoe 10 and a lower replaceable tread member 14 which can be readily detached :from the upper element 13 and replaced when it is worn. The sole 12 is similarly formed with an upper element 15 attached to the shoe and a lower replaceable tread element 16 that is secured to the upper element in much the same manner as the tread element 14 of the heel 11 to its cpoperating element 13.

3,318,025 Patented May 9, 1957 The heel structure 11, shown in detail in FIGURES 2 through 7, is preferably formed of resilient material such as rubber or the like, though the upper element may be somewhat harder and less resilient than the lower element. In the instant embodiment of the invention, the lower tread element 14 is provided with a centrally disposed key 17 and a plurality of studs or connectors 18 having enlarged head portions 19. The rear edge of the tread element 14 is further provided with an upwardly eX- tending member 20 tapered downwardly and inwardly as indicated at 21 so that it will firmly interlock with a cooperating socket 22 on the heel portion 13 as will be described.

It is desirable in the attachment of the tread element 14 to the permanentelement 13 to minimize the infiltration of dust and other foreign matter between the heel elements or sections and to minimize shearing stresses on the studs 18 as well as the central key 17. For this purpose, the replaceable tread element 14 is provided with a surrounding ridge 23 disposed in closely spaced relationship with the periphery of the heel.

The cooperating heel element 13, permanently attached to the shoe 10, is provided with a keyway 24 which snugly receives the key 17 and a plurality of sockets 25 cooperating with the studs 18. The sockets 25 are undercut as indicated at 25 to receive the enlarged head portions 19 of the studs 18 in order to lock the heel portion 14 securely in place as illustrated in FIGURE 1. The rear portion of the heel element 13 is provided with a recess or socket 22 for receiving the member 20 so that when the heel is in 3 position, the back portion of the heel will be firmly locked in position, and the tread member 14 cannot be accidentally disengaged should pressure be accidentally exerted on the tread member in a direction causing it to separate from the permanent element 13.

It Will be observed from the foregoing structure that when the tread member 14 of the heel is in position on the shoe, the rear portion of the heel is not only firmly locked in place but the ridge 23 snugly engages the cooperating channel 26 on the heel portion 13, so that the ridge 23 and the central key 17 resist both linear or rotational displacem-ent stresses on the tread member 14.

The sole 12 of' the shoe is fabricated in substantially the same manner as the heel structure described above in that the replaceable tread element 16 is provided with a central key 27, a plurality of studs 28, a locking member 29 and a surrounding ridge 30. These elements engage corresponding recesses in the fixed sole element 15 in the same manner as described in connection with the heel structure 11.

It is evident .from the foregoing that the invention may be applied equally well to replaceable full soles for shoes in which the entire bottom tread portion of the shoe can be made in one piece and secured to the shoe by means of the interlocking stud and receptor elements and the surrounding ridge to prevent shifting of the sole relative to the shoe and yminimize the infiltration of dust and dirt between the composite sole elements. If desired, rubber cement or other similar adhesive may be applied about the edge of the replaceable heel or sole portions, provided, however, that the adhesive will not prevent the disengagement of the replaceable element when it is worn but will provide sufficient adherence to prevent the infiltration of dirt and dust.

For the purpose of the claims, it is to be understood that the term sole is intended to comprehend either the heel, the forward sole or a =full sole structure.

While only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is apparent that alterations, modifications and changes may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit thereof as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A composite sole structure for shoes comprising an upper element adapted to be permanently secured to the shoe, a tread element removably secured to said upper element, interlocking stud and receptacle means carried by said elements for removably securing them one to the other, one of said elements having a ridge spaced inwardly from and about substantially the entire periphery thereof and the other element having a cooperating peripheral groove.

2. A composite sole structure according to claim 1 wherein one of said elements has an outwardly extending member adjoining one edge and with an outer portion of said member being oset relative to the portion adjoining said element, and the other of said elements includes a cooperating recess for receiving said member and locking it in place when said elements are secured one to the other.

3. A composite sole structure according to claim 2 wherein said elements include cooperating key and key way means centrally disposed thereof.

4. A composite sole structure for shoes comprising an upper element adapted to be attached permanently to the shoe, a cooperating tread element removably secured to the first said element, the rst said element including a plurality of recesses, at 4least certain of said recesses being undercut, said cooperating tread element including a plurality of studs having enlarged end portions and movable into locking engagement with said recesses, a peripheral ridge on one of said elements and in closely spaced relationship to the periphery thereof, and a cooperating channel in the other of said elements for receipt of said ridge element.

S. A composite sole strutcure according to claim 4 wherein one of said elements includes an outwardly extending member having at least one oset edge and the other of said elements includes a recess having a conguration corresponding to said member, said member being removably locked within said recess when said elements are secured one to the other.

6. A composite heel structure for shoes comprising an upper element adapted to be attached permanently to the shoe, a cooperating tread element removably secured to the first said element, the first said element including a plurality of recesses, at least certain of said recesses being undercut, said cooperating tread element including a plurality of studs having enlarged end portions and movable into locking engagement with said recesses, a peripheral ridge on one of said elements and in closely spaced relationship to the periphery thereof, and a cooperating channel in the other `of said elements for receipt of said ridge element.

7. In a heel structure for shoes according to claim 6, wherein one of said elements includes an outwardly extending member having at least one offset edge and the other of said elements includes a recess having a configuration corresponding to said member, said member being removably locked within said recess when said elements are secured one to the other.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,738,048 12/1929 Goodwin 36--35 2,528,951 11/ 1950 Epsztejn 36-15 3,019,534 2/1962 Kauifrnan et al. 36-15 3,063,168 11/1962 Cortina 36-36 3,068,592 12/ 1962 Antelo 36--36 FRANK I. COHEN, Examiner. 

1. A COMPOSITE SOLE STRUCTURE FOR SHOES COMPRISING AN UPPER ELEMENT ADAPTED TO BE PERMANENTLY SECURED TO THE SHOE, A TREAD ELEMENT REMOVABLY SECURED TO SAID UPPER ELEMENT, INTERLOCKING STUD AND RECEPTACLE MEANS CARRIED BY SAID ELEMENTS FOR REMOVABLY SECURING THEM ONE TO THE OTHER, ONE OF SAID ELEMENTS HAVING A RIDGE SPACED INWARDLY FROM AND ABOUT SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE PERIPHERY THEREOF AND THE OTHER ELEMENT HAVING A COOPERATING PERIPHERAL GROOVE. 